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“Hanoi in autumn, Hanoi in autumn
The milk flower season comes, fragrant in every wind
Green rice season comes, fragrant little hands
The fragrant green rice flakes from the sidewalk greet you as you walk by…”
Autumn rushes across the streets of Hanoi, bringing not only the mild weather but also a harmony of flavors and memories. In the chill of the autumn wind, the capital not only puts on a romantic coat of yellow leaves but also "conquers" every traveler with its typical dishes, gifts that can only be enjoyed in this transitional season to fully feel the "soul" of Trang An land.
Green rice flakes, "The gift of young rice"
When mentioning Autumn in Hanoi, people immediately think of young green rice. This young, soft, fragrant, and slightly sweet grain has surpassed the limits of a dish, becoming an indispensable cultural symbol of the capital. Writer Thach Lam himself once called young green rice: "A gift of young rice" in his work Hanoi 36 Streets, praising the quintessence and purity of this rustic gift.
Com is not only enjoyed in its original form when it is still fresh, with its sweet taste and the faint aroma of rice milk. From com, Hanoians have also created countless dishes that evoke enchanting childhood memories. These include sticky and fatty sticky rice, fragrant com sausage mixed with the fatty taste of meat, or cool, sweet com dessert. Each way of enjoying it brings an unforgettable aftertaste, fully encapsulating the sophistication of Hanoi cuisine.
Enjoy Autumn with a bowl of steaming pho
In the cold weather, familiar hot dishes become more attractive and necessary than ever. A steaming bowl of pho, a bowl of elegant bun thang or a hot bowl of rib porridge in the morning not only warms the stomach but also makes diners love the autumn days in Hanoi even more. The feeling of inhaling the strong aroma of pho while watching the streets in the early autumn mist is certainly a profound and unforgettable experience for anyone who has ever set foot in the capital.
"Unique" flavor with ripe star fruit, shrimp paste, shrimp cake
Autumn in Hanoi also pleases travelers with culinary specialties that only appear for a short time and are highly seasonal.
One of the indispensable snacks is ripe star fruit and star fruit jam. If in the summer, young star fruit brings a cool, sour drink, then in the fall, the star fruit is ripe and turns golden yellow, shining as if gathering all the summer sunlight into its shell. Ripe star fruit is peeled, cut into spirals, and dipped in rich ginger chili salt. The sweet, slightly sour taste, with a bit of spicy crunchiness, creates an extremely attractive and "addictive" flavor. Star fruit jam is a great choice as a gift, because it encapsulates the sweet and sour "soul" of Hanoi's autumn.
Most notably, Hanoi's autumn cuisine features Cha ruoi, a rare specialty that can only be enjoyed for a short time, around the end of September and the beginning of October of the lunar calendar when fresh rươi is in season. Cha ruoi is a delicate combination of the rich sweetness of rươi meat mixed with chicken eggs, combined with the characteristic light taste of tangerine peel and the aroma of ginger leaves and betel leaves. When fried, Cha ruoi is golden yellow and fragrant, a dish that warms the hearts of diners in the cold weather.
In addition, West Lake shrimp cakes are also an attractive, warm gift in the autumn weather. The crispy, golden shrimp cakes, fresh sweet shrimp, dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce have created an unforgettable mark in the culinary picture of Hanoi.
Romantic autumn memories with yellow leaves and the scent of milk flowers
Autumn in Hanoi not only affects the taste buds but also the sight and smell, creating a rare romantic experience. When autumn comes, Hanoi changes its color. The yellow leaves gently flutter in the cool breeze, creating a romantic and caressing scene. Walking under the canopy of ancient trees along famous streets such as Phan Dinh Phung, Kim Ma, Nguyen Tri Phuong, Hoang Hoa Tham or Tran Phu, visitors will have to stop to capture beautiful moments, no different from the scenes in Korean movies. Yellow leaves, blue sky, and gentle sunshine are the ingredients that create the typical charm of autumn in the capital.
At the same time, we cannot help but mention the passionate scent of milk flowers, an invisible "specialty" but with the strongest recalling power. The fragrance is sometimes faint, sometimes strong, spreading throughout the streets, from Nguyen Du, Ba Trieu to Quang Trung or Quan Thanh. The scent of milk flowers combined with the mild autumn weather makes visitors even more attached, creating an indescribable feeling of both romance and nostalgia, making Hanoi in autumn wonderful.
